Lesson C4–5 Managing Wildlife Populations Unit C. Animal Wildlife Management Problem Area 4. Game Birds Management Lesson 5. Managing Wildlife Populations New Mexico Content Standard: Pathway Strand: Natural Resources and Environmental Systems Standard: III: Apply scientific principles to natural resource management activities. Benchmark: III-A: Apply scientific principles to natural resource management activities. Performance Standard: 1. Develop a research/monitoring plan to inquire about a natural resource topic. 2. Conduct a research/monitoring activity for a natural resource topic. 3. Produce a technical report of results/findings. Student Learning Objectives. Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives: 1. Explain the relationship of populations to habitat. 2. Explain the concept of population status. 3. Explain habitat factors that affect wildlife populations. 4. Describe the role of disease and predation on animal wildlife. New Mexico Environmental Resources Lesson Plan Library Unit C. Problem Area 4. Lesson 5. Page 1.
Transcript
Lesson C4–5
Managing Wildlife Populations
Unit C. Animal Wildlife Management
Problem Area 4. Game Birds Management
Lesson 5. Managing Wildlife Populations
New Mexico Content Standard:
Pathway Strand: Natural Resources and Environmental Systems
Standard: III: Apply scientific principles to natural resource management activities.
Benchmark: III-A: Apply scientific principles to natural resource management activities.
Performance Standard: 1. Develop a research/monitoring plan to inquire about a natural
resource topic. 2. Conduct a research/monitoring activity for a natural resource topic. 3.
Produce a technical report of results/findings.
Student Learning Objectives. Instruction in this lesson should result in students
achieving the following objectives:
1. Explain the relationship of populations to habitat.
2. Explain the concept of population status.
3. Explain habitat factors that affect wildlife populations.
4. Describe the role of disease and predation on animal wildlife.
New Mexico Environmental Resources Lesson Plan Library
Unit C. Problem Area 4. Lesson 5. Page 1.
List of Resources. The following resources may be useful in teaching this lesson:
Recommended Resources. One of the following resources should be selected to accompany the
lesson:
Stutzenbaker, Charles D. et al. Wildlife Management Science and Technology. 2nd ed.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Interstate, 2003. (Chapter 7 &
11)
Other Resources. The following resources will be useful to students and teachers:
List of Equipment, Tools, Supplies, and Facilities
Writing surface
Overhead projector
Transparencies from attached masters
Copies of student lab sheets
Terms. The following terms are presented in this lesson (shown in bold italics):
Birth rate
Carrying capacity
Controlled hunting
Death rate
Habitat degradation
Habitat destruction
Land use
Limiting factor
Population
Population density
Population status
Reproductive potential
Wildlife habitat
Interest Approach. Use an interest approach that will prepare the students for the les-
son. Teachers often develop approaches for their unique class and student situations. A possible
approach is included here.
Ask students to tell you the approximate population of the world. The correct answer is over 6 billion. Ask
the student to name some things that have allowed the population of the world to grow so large. Possible
answers include: better food production, better health care, etc. Ask the students to tell you how these
things relate to wildlife population.
New Mexico Environmental Resources Lesson Plan Library
Unit C. Problem Area 4. Lesson 5. Page 2.
Summary of Content and Teaching Strategies
Objective 1: Explain the relationship of populations to habitat.
Anticipated Problem: How are populations and habitat related?
I. Population is the term used to describe the number of organisms in an area. It may refer to
the combined number of all species or to the number of one species. Animal and plant popu-
lations have important affects on each other.
A. Population density is a measure of how crowded or sparse organisms are in an area. Den-
sity is influenced by the number of new organisms added to the population and by the
number that leave. Birth rate is the number of young produced per unit of population
over a given time. Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand each year. The birth
and death rates form a population curve. Population numbers are the highest in late
spring and early summer after the birth of young. Afterward, the population declines due
to disease, lack of food, hunting and other factors.
There are many techniques that can be used to assist students in mastering this material. Students need
text material to aid in understanding the relationship of populations to habitat. Wildlife Management Sci-
ence and Technology. 2nd ed. is recommended. Use TM: C4–5A to aid in the discussion on this topic.
Objective 2: Explain the concept of population status.
Anticipated Problem: What is population status?
II. The overall health condition and numerical count of wildlife populations comprises the pop-
ulation status. Healthy populations are those that have the capability of increasing or main-
taining stable numbers from year to year. These populations are relatively disease-free and
adequate food is available to the animals.
A. Populations are directly related to reproduction. Reproductive potential is the ability of a
population to increase. Populations with a large number of diseased or older animals
have lower reproductive potential. A shortage of food also lowers reproductive potential.
In nearly every habitat, some factor limits the potential of animals. A limiting factor is
any one action working alone, or in combination, to decrease the population. Knowing
the limiting factor helps in management.
There are many techniques that can be used to assist students in mastering this material. Students need
text material to aid in understanding the concept of population status. Wildlife Management Science and
Technology. 2nd ed. is recommended.
New Mexico Environmental Resources Lesson Plan Library
Unit C. Problem Area 4. Lesson 5. Page 3.
Objective 3: Explain habitat factors that affect wildlife populations.
Anticipated Problem: What are the major limiting factors affecting wildlife populations?
III. There are several different factors that can limit wildlife populations in a habitat. Some of
them are:
A. Habitat loss—Wildlife habitat is the area that wildlife needs to perform daily, seasonal,
and yearly activities. Habitat includes food, water, space, and cover. Land use is how
humans use or treat land. The way land is used affects wildlife. Some land use activities
can result in total loss of wildlife habitat through habitat destruction. This often results
in the elimination of those animals dependent on what naturally grew on the land.
B. Habitat degradation—The second most important factor impacting wildlife is habitat
degradation. Habitat degradation is reducing quality of the habitat. It generally results in
reduced wildlife populations.
C. Accidents—Roads or highways near wildlife populations are often the scene of accidents
involving wildlife. These accidents not only reduce the population of wildlife, but also
can cause considerable damage to property.
D. Overpopulation—Carrying capacity is the number of animals that a particular area can
safely support. If the population increases beyond the carrying capacity, there is not
enough food and cover for each animal. This can cause reduced health in the wildlife.
Controlled hunting is used to keep wildlife populations from exceeding carrying capacity.
This involves well-planned legal hunting to keep populations at proper numbers.
E. Lack of wildlife management—Management provides safeguards for wildlife populations
and their habitat and offers solutions to problems. Proper management provides for
management of habitat and ensures adequate food, water, and cover for all species.
There are many techniques that can be used to assist students in mastering this material. Students need
text material to aid in understanding the habitat factors that affect wildlife populations. Wildlife Manage-
ment Science and Technology. 2nd ed. is recommended.
Review/Summary. Use the student learning objectives to summarize the lesson. Have
students explain the content associated with each objective. Student responses can be used in
determining which objectives need to be reviewed or taught from a different angle. Questions at
end of chapters in the textbook may also be used in the review/summary.
